


So you agree? (That's right.)

by Greensleeves



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: A Lovely Night, Fluff, M/M, an experiment in POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-16 21:50:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10580187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greensleeves/pseuds/Greensleeves
Summary: Jedediah and Octavius may be oblivious of each other's romantic feelings, but everyone else is not. A couple of their fellow miniatures decide to set them up one night.~*~The amazing piece of art that inspired this fic: https://jayce-kui.tumblr.com/post/158813831732





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jayce-kui](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=jayce-kui).



> This fic is a gift for jayce-kui on Tumblr as she has basically been the tablet for the Jedtavius fandom recently--she's brought it back to life with her amazing artwork. (Thank you so much!! You've been such an inspiration to me, and your art is always a joy to see in the tags!)  
> If you weren't aware already, the song used in this fic is "A Lovely Night" from La La Land. (I prefer Thomas Sander's and Ben J. Pierce's cover more than the original, but hey, that's just me.)  
> Credit for inventor!Octavius and the shoes: https://imaginejedandocty.tumblr.com/post/159272154016  
> Also, Night at the Museum and all recognizable characters do not belong to me. Enjoy!

“What we need right now is a plan!” the cowboy said, slapping his leather gloves onto the table.

“You’re absolutely right, Matthew. The way our two leaders have been acting lately has been fatiguing,” Brutus replied.

“Exactly! Ever since we returned from the Smithsonian, Jedediah and Octavius have been dancing around each other like a couple of professional saloon girls!”

Brutus pursed his lips. “I have no idea what you just said, but I believe I understand. We should force them into a situation where they have no alternative but to talk over their feelings with each other.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“That all depends—what exactly do you cowboys like to do with your loved ones?””

Matthew thought for a moment. “Well, private walks during clear nights are pretty sure-fire way to get some lovin’.”

A mischievous grin made its way onto the Roman’s face, and he leaned in conspiratorially. “Matthew, I do believe we can work with that. Here’s what I’ve got…”

* * *

“Wow, Ockie, these spring-powered shoes sure work well for getting up stairs!” Jedediah declared once they reached the second floor.

Octavius had taken to inventing useful gadgets from items found around the museum. These spring-loaded shoes were his latest invention so the miniatures could travel between floors without relying on the larger exhibits’ help.

“Thank you, Jed! Now if only there was a--an apparatus that we could build so we could explore the Internet as well as the museum.”

Jedediah clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll think of something, partner. And I’ll help you put it together when you do.”

Octavius smiled at him. For a moment, he found himself lost in Jedediah’s sparkling blue eyes.

_Cur haec in terris facies humana moratur?_ 1 he mused.

Jedediah held Octavius’s gaze and silently cursed the butterflies in his stomach. Their relationship had been strictly platonic once they’d overcome their differences, but the way Jedediah had felt towards Octavius had changed when he’d been stuck in that damn hourglass.   

“Jed, are you all right?” Octavius asked.

Jedediah blinked and pulled himself back to reality. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Octavius opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by a miniature bolting down the hallway.

“Jedediah! General Octavius!”

Jedediah and Octavius both turned to the source of the yell. It was one of Jedediah’s men.

Jededah stuck his hands in his pockets. “Yes, Matthew?”

Matthew stood with his hands on his knees, panting. “Brutus and I . . . were scouting out the roof. . . . He got hurt.”

Octavius stiffened. Brutus was his second-in-command; all order would begin to fall apart if he died.

“Take us to him,” Octavius commanded.

“Yes, sir.”

Jedediah and Octavius picked up their spring-loaded shoes and followed Matthew as he led the way to the roof access. It took them a few minutes to actually make it to the stairs that led to roof.

Jedediah addressed Matthew while he and Octavius attached the springs to their shoes again, “You two made it up there without any help?”

“And where exactly is Brutus?” Octavius added.

“Larry got us up the stairs and opened the door for us. Brutus caught himself on a protruding nail not a stone’s throw away from the doorway.”

_A Roman soldier should really be more careful,_ Octavius thought. _I must talk to him about that._

Jedediah, who was already standing, extended a hand to Octavius. Both leaders missed the look Matthew gave them before they let go.

“Ready?”

Jedediah fixed his hat firmly on his head. “You betcha, partner.”

With the tinny sounds of the springs accompanying them, they raced to the top of the stairs. It would have been exhilarating if they hadn’t been on a rescue mission.

Once reaching the top of the stairs, they set aside the springs and walked out onto the roof. There were a couple of two-by-fours lying about yet Brutus was nowhere to be seen.

Octavius turned around slowly in a circle then approached one of the boards. “You don’t think an owl got him, do you?”

Jedediah thought about the barn owls from back home that would eat rodents whole. He shivered. “I hope not.”

Suddenly, the footsteps of a much larger creature met their ears. They looked in shock to see that the door that led back into the museum had been closed.

Octavius turned to his western counterpart. “Jedediah, I do believe we’ve been set up.”  

Jedediah snorted. “Of course, Matthew and Brutus would do this.”

Octavius couldn’t help but laugh in the face of their current situation. It was horrible considering the possibility of an owl mistaking them for a meal, yet he found it hard to believe that Matthew and Brutus (and Larry, most likely) thought he and Jedediah were compatible and would go to such lengths to set them up.

“We should ban our seconds-in-command from consorting with each other for awhile,” he stated.

“Mhmm.”

Jedediah was too preoccupied with his own wonder at the lights all around them to answer properly. The west had never been this bright at night. But what truly got his attention was the sky. It was a new moon so the stars were out shining and proud.

“Some other pair of guys would love this swirling sky,” he said abruptly. “But there’s only you and I, and we’ve got no shot.”

_I’ve got no shot,_ Jedediah thought sadly.

“This could never be, you’re not the type for me,” he continued.

Octavius raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Though he thought that’s how Jedediah felt, it was much different hearing it from him and not his own unwanted thoughts.

Jedediah nodded. “And there’s not a spark in sight. What a waste of a lovely night.”

Octavius mustered his courage. “You say there’s nothing here? Well, let’s make something clear—“ Octavius poked Jedediah playfully in the chest “—I think I’ll be the one to make that call.”

Jedediah furrowed his brows. “But you’ll call?”

Octavius ignored him. “And though you look so cute in your chaps and your boots—“

“Did you just call me cute?”

_Oops._ “That’s right—and I’d never fall for you at all.”

That lie right there was the biggest Octavius had ever told. He’d fallen for Jedediah soon after Larry had forced them to work together to save the museum from the old night guards. And the reality of almost losing Jedediah after that crazy pharaoh Kahmunrah locked him in an hour glass had almost been too much for Octavius to bear.

But he shoved his feelings aside. He knew how Jedediah’s people felt about such relationships, which was why he wanted to make it appear that he didn’t like Jedediah however painful that process may be.

“And maybe this appeals to someone wearing heels or to any man that feels there’s some chance for romance.” Octavius plopped down onto the edge of an abandoned two-by-four and took off his helmet. “But I’m frankly feeling nothing,” he said trying to disguise the melancholy in his voice.

Jedediah sat down beside him. “Is that so?”

Octavius shrugged noncommittally. He could feel his resolve crumbling. “Or it could be less than nothing.”

“Good to know,” he replied. “So you agree?”

Octavius nodded, “That’s right.”

The two spoke in unison, “What a waste of a lovely night.”

They fell silent each miniature lost in their own thoughts. How strange it was to think that they had been mortal enemies before becoming friends. Neither could bear the thought of losing the other to death, but the risk of losing the other because of misplaced romantic feelings seemed somehow greater than that.

Perhaps that was the greatest folly of mankind; not being able to take the right risk at the right time. Openly confessing feelings when it was too late to enjoy them was an easy way out of steeling one’s self when there was still time to make something of those strong emotions.  

Looking down, Jedediah noticed Octavius’s hand resting on the board between them. An impulse took over Jedediah, and he decided he would not partake in mankind’s folly any longer. He put his hand over Octavius’s. The Roman ducked his head, but Jedediah could plainly see the blush creeping up his face even in the nighttime light.

“But I’m frankly feeling nothing,” Octavius mumbled.

Jedediah’s face fell. “Is that so?” Jedediah began to pull away his hand, but Octavius held onto it.

Octavius looked up at him. Tentatively, he said, “Or it could be less than nothing.”

Jedediah allowed himself a small smile. “Good to know.” He gently removed his hand from Octavius’s grasp to put his arm around his shoulder instead. “So you agree?”

Octavius rested his head against Jedediah’s shoulder. “That’s right.”

Warmth flooded though Octavius. Perhaps he would think twice before assuming the opinions of another. And maybe, just maybe, something would come of these feelings after all.

Quietly, even though no one else was around to hear, both whispered, “What a waste of a lovely night.”

* * *

From where they were standing in the frame of the window in the door, Brutus and Matthew could plainly see Jedediah and Octavius interacting. When their leaders finally cozied up to each other, the miniatures in the window high-fived.

“Do you think they’ll ever forgive us for trapping them outside?” Matthew asked.

“Eventually, yes,” Brutus replied. “But I don’t think they’re going to make it easy on us for a week at least.”

Matthew let out a low whistle. “Dynamite transportation.”

“Drills.”

Both agreed, though, that it was worth it.

* * *

1 _Why does such mortal beauty exist on earth?_ From Propertius ii,2

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Please do tell me what you thought of it--all feedback is welcome! :) And do go check out jayce-kui's art and imaginejedandocty!!


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